WINNIPEG -- The Province of Manitoba announced on Friday that it has made an initial order of 500,000 locally-made, reusable, silicone N95 masks, with the option to purchase another 500,000 over the next 14 months.
Central Services Minister Reg Helwer said in a news release that providing good quality personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line workers is a government priority.
“It is very exciting that we are able to place an order for these reusable N95 masks that were designed and are being produced right here in Manitoba,” he said in the release.
In April, the province put out an Expression of Interest to see if manufacturers were interested and capable of manufacturing N95 masks that have been designed by two Manitoba doctors.
These masks have been specifically created to meet the needs of front-line workers, as they can be sterilized after use and reused up to 30 times. The two doctors, Dr. Christian Petropolis and Dr. Adrian Robertson, gave the mask an open-source design so it can be accessed and manufactured more quickly.
“As a physician, not only do I recognize the critical role our front-line workers have in meeting the health-care needs of Manitobans, they are also my friends, family and colleagues,” said Petropolis.
Winnipeg-based Precision ADM has been chosen to finalize and produce the masks in Manitoba.
“In these unprecedented times, we are all doing our best to stay safe and help our community in any way we can and, as proud Manitobans, Precision ADM is honoured to have the opportunity to manufacture these essential reusable N95 masks for our front line workers,” said Martin Petrak, co-founder, and CEO of Precision ADM.
The province continues to ask manufacturers, businesses, and organizations to help with its procurement efforts.
